Brazilian police on Tuesday arrested five people, including a member of former President Jair Bolsonaro's cabinet, suspected of involvement in an alleged plan to kill then-President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2022, days before he took office.
Documents seized by police revealed a plan to shoot or poison Lula and his Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin and put two retired army generals, National Security Adviser Augusto Heleno and former Defense Minister Braga Netto, in charge of leading the country with the idea of holding new elections.
The conspiracy included the attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice with an explosive device or poison, police said in a statement.
The Army confirmed the arrests of retired Brigadier General Mario Fernandes, who had served as a deputy minister in Bolsonaro's cabinet, and Lieutenant Colonels Helio Ferreira Lima, Rodrigo Bezerra de Azevedo and Rafael Martins de Oliveira.
The officers were in Rio de Janeiro but were not involved in the security operation for the summit of leaders of the G20 group of major economies that is ongoing in the city, the army statement said.